Floor to ceiling shelving once filled this secret Hasbro warehouse (located somewhere in Pawtucket, RI) with multiple examples of the entire history of GIjOE product production. Sadly, any of the items placed on lower shelves were likely destroyed during a past major flooding incident. What happened to the remaining NRFB sets on the upper shelves is unknown. (Photo: Wayne Faucher) Click to enlarge.

Fan Suspicions CONFIRMED—Legendary Toy Storage Site DID Exist!

Here’s another of those “Just when you thought you’d heard it all” stories about GIjOE’s historic and colorful past. It’s an Indiana Jones-esque tale built on previously unconfirmed secondhand accounts of a fabled storage site or “treasure trove” wherein it was rumored that untold numbers of original, vintage GIjOE figures, equipment sets and vehicles were stored. The fanciful tale has been bouncing around the internet and GIjOE fandom for decades now, only to FINALLY be confirmed this week by famed Marvel inker and artist, Wayne Faucher.

Fans and regular readers of The Joe Report will recall our in-depth profile of Mr. Faucher (see that story HERE) as well as numerous articles trumpeting his outstanding accomplishments as a master customizer of 1:6 scale (see HERE). But now, with the release of this outstanding series of “Hasbro Morgue” photos, Wayne has entered yet another realm of GIjOE fandom, that of unofficial GIjOE historian. In an account over on The Trenches fan forum, Faucher first announced his exciting news, confirming the reality of Hasbro’s legendary toy “morgue,” saying:

“Around 1990, I was given a tour of the Hasbro Morgue by an administrative employee who was about to retire. He knew of my interest in GI Joe so invited me to take a look. At the time, I was only interested in pre-AT Joe and was disappointed at the lack of the military line’s presence in the warehouse. I was told most of the older stuff had ‘walked away’ years before. I took some pictures, but really didn’t know the AT line that well. As a result, I didn’t know what was important from what was common. On top of that the focus was lousy. Of course, those were the days when you didn’t know that until your film was developed weeks later. If it makes you feel any better, think of this: Just before I left, I was asked ‘If I could have any one piece in there, what would it be?’ I replied, ‘There’s just so much, I could never choose.’ So I didn’t. How’s that for frustrating?”

Like an archeologist peeling back the layers of time— Faucher delicately lifts a bit of torn cellophane on this NRFB medic set to give it a closer examination. (Photo: Wayne Faucher) Click to enlarge.

When asked about the location of Hasbro super-secret “morgue,” Faucher replied:

“Well, I know it was in Pawtucket. Exactly where, I can’t recall. Of course, 25 years later, it may not be there anymore. It was a large warehouse; only a small section was dedicated to GI Joe. Mr. Potatohead and Lincoln Logs were well represented too. The last time I related this story (sans pics), someone mentioned a flood badly damaging the Hasbro Morgue. I have no idea if that was before or after I was there.”

Almost beyond imagination— Take a close look at the items on these pegs. So many vintage GIjOE toys! What an amazing vault of memories! (Photo: Wayne Faucher) Click to enlarge.

When asked about his once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit Hasbro’s Morgue, Wayne said:

“Honestly, these were just some old pics I found in a box yesterday. I wasn’t even gonna bother to put ’em up! But now that I think about it, I guess not many people were ever set loose in there with a camera. Now that I’m more into the AT end of things, I’m impressed myself. I wonder how many Magnum Power sets are in those stacks!? I believe the guy who brought me through there moved to Florida and has long since passed away, unfortunately. A very nice fellow who, despite being TOTALLY baffled by a grown man’s interest in this stuff, was willing to spend half a Saturday walking the aisles with me.”

On and on it went— and where it stopped, nobody knows! At the time Faucher paid his visit (1990) the amount of vintage GIjOE products being stored in “Hasbro’s Morgue” was literally staggering. Today…who knows what remains behind those high-security doors? (Photo: Wayne Faucher) Click to enlarge.

Faucher also speculated about the supervision of the toy warehouse, saying:

“Though it was called ‘the morgue’ by employees, it was indeed an archive, though woefully incomplete by the time I got there. I had fully expected a complete collection, but found what was a mish-mash of Joe items. It wasn’t run like an actual archive and didn’t appear to be kept track of. At the time, my wife was Malcolm Forbes’ personal archivist, so she knew what it SHOULD have looked like. We were both pretty surprised at how incomplete and disorganized it seemed to be. Which leads me to wonder if there was indeed a flood (as others have said), it may have been before my encounter with the place, which would account for what was missing. I just don’t know.”

Finally, one member of the Trenches forum named “BRJoe,” responded to the question of the current-day status of Hasbro’s Morgue with the following exciting (unconfirmed) update:

“IT’S STILL THERE! My current vice president for the corporation I work for used to be a V.P. at Hasbro from about 2009-2012. When I told her I was a G.I.Joe collector, she said, ‘Well, you know near Hasbro’s headquarters in Pawtucket there are warehouses where they store three examples of every toy Hasbro has ever made!’ She had visited them a few times and said up until about 2010, a couple of the older warehouse areas weren’t even climate-controlled (no air conditioning) and that this was one thing she pushed to have corrected. Unfortunately, Hasbro has pretty tight security and these archive warehouses are not open to the public.”

Hammana-hammana-hammana— Who wouldn’t love to examine the contents of an NRFB Sea Sled? And look! Someone actually wrote “morgue” on that Jeep box! (Photo: Wayne Faucher) Click to enlarge.

Bottom Line: What an exciting story! Wayne Faucher has become the “Indiana Jones” of GIjOE historians by confirming the existence of such an extraordinary toy “morgue.” Our sincerest thanks go out to Wayne for sharing all of this wonderful information and historic photographs with readers of The Joe Report—and the worldwide GIjOE collecting community. You’re the BEST, Wayne! PS: To view the entire collection of Faucher’s fabled photos, we recommend you visit the equally legendary, “Vintage3DJoes” website found HEREand prepare to be BLOWN AWAY!

A future without Barbie? In a world where children appear to be losing the interest and attention spans required to creatively play with dolls, how will Mattel keep its iconic toy line “alive?” (Photo: clayzmama)

The 1970s were a busy time for children fortunate enough to have grown up playing and creating adventures with GIjOEs and other imagination-dependant toys. Above, Scott McCullar (now an adult) plays with his GijOE’s “Troubleshooter” play set. (Photo: Scott McCullar)

The Future of Some Toy Lines Certainly Growing—UNcertain

If you’re an adult over say, 45, you may be a member of a dying breed. We’re not talking about your health or lifespan, we’re talking about the fact that you’re a human (man or woman) who can still remember when “childhood playtime” meant interacting with dolls, action figures and other toys. You may not realize it, but you could be a member of one of the last generations who’ll remember those youthful pursuits as the carefree activities they were and how they required one of life’s most precious gifts—imagination.

This conclusion is easily understood by simply observing the children of today’s societies and how their evolving behavior patterns have begun to affect the “bottom line” of an already struggling toy industry. Yes, it’s a different world (today) than the one you grew up in, and that reality is forcing toy giants (i.e. Hasbro and Mattel) to push for changes that will usher in a new era, one that may be largely devoid of the past’s traditional or “imagination-dependent” toys.

We’re sorry kids,but today’s largely politically correct, non gender-specific, “discovery” type toys are, in our opinion, a poor substitute for the more creative toys of the past; specifically those from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Today’s bland, generic toy fodder, such as this “MentalBlox” game will do little to instill the sort of life-long toy memories once so common among children and adults. Today’s children are moving on to hand-held electronic devices at earlier and earlier ages which quickly stunt their desire to play with traditional, imagination-dependent toys. (Photo: discovery toys)

An exception to the rule— It’s becoming a rare sight to see children who are actively interested in 12″ GIjOEs. In this case, longtime collector Robert Browning and his two sons Gus (l) and Ben (r) keep their love of toys alive by attending conventions (such as Joelanta) together as a family. Here, the boys hold up their 1st-place winning custom figure of “The Shadow” and their prize, a Sideshow “Cobra Ninja” action figure. Such activity encourages camaraderie and the creation of life-long toy-related memories. (Photo: Mark Otnes)

Children are Changing—Buying Behavior is Changing—The Toy Industry is Changing

In the past, toy manufacturers used to be able to count on keeping a child’s interest and faithful patronage until about the age of 13 or so. Once the teenaged years kicked in, it was understood that kids began to switch over to more “grown up” interests such as sports, dating and music. While it was a shame to lose them as customers, toy companies knew there would always be more children coming along and more profits could be made from them. But now…that predictable mode of forever selling toys appears to be changing. Dramatically.

At earlier and earlier ages, children are visibly turning away from traditional toys. Once their first computer, video game system or <shudder> “smart” phone enters their lives, there’s really no looking back. In fact, the very idea of playing with traditional, non-electronic toys is becoming positively quaint to children of today (of both sexes). Even casual observations at toy shows and toy stores have confirmed they already perceive GIjOEs and Barbies as stiff, almost unrelatable artifacts of bygone age; something that their Mommy or Daddy “used to play with” very long ago, but is now—boring.

So what does all this mean? It means that now, in 2015, toy companies can no longer afford to do business as usual. New solutions to newly emerging problems must be found, before sales and stock values plummet any further. It means that once impervious toy lines of the past are now at risk of being ignored (read Derryl DePriest’s commentary on the fate of GIjOE HERE) or canceled altogether. As children continue to grow up faster and switch to non-toy pursuits at younger ages, they’re truncating a once lengthy consumer-provider relationship. Profits from toys therefore, are now harder to predict, forcing changes in marketing strategies that, while helping boost the bottom line, may actually increase the growing gap between children and traditional toys—even further.

Playing with Barbies— Is there anything sadder than a pile of pulled-apart Barbies or GIjOEs? Unfortunately, young boys and girls (nowadays) could probably care less. (Photo: buzzfeed)

In a stunning admission, Mattel recently disclosed that Barbie’s sales figures have fallen for the last SEVEN CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS. It’s hard to imagine how much longer the toy giant will want to support such a steadily declining “loser,” but it’s harder still to imagine a world where Barbie no longer exists—at ALL. In a recent article in the The Wall Street Journal, business analyst Cassandra Jaramillo reported:

“Mattel Inc.’s sales of the doll fell 19% in the second quarter, as the toy maker swung to a quarterly loss and posted a 7% drop in overall net sales. The stronger U.S. dollar drove a large chunk of the decline, but Barbie’s sales would still have fallen 11% when stripping out currency swings.”

Bad news Barbie fans, but hardly a surprise to the bean counters at Mattel. The article continues:

“Sales of the doll have dropped by DOUBLE DIGITS for seven straight quarters—underscoring the deep challenges facing new Mattel Chief Executive Christopher Sinclair as he looks to right the world’s largest toy maker by sales. Barbie is Mattel’s largest brand and a big driver of profits, but its long slump has cost it shelf space at retailers that Mattel will have to work hard to earn back.”

Valuable Shelf Space LOST— How long has it been since you’ve seen BOTH sides of a toy store aisle devoted solely to Barbie? Those famed “Pink Aisles” are unlikely to return, and in the future, may only reside in your memory. (Photo: artisancomplete)

Currently, the profit pendulum is clearly swinging backwards in a negative arc for Mattel. Its stock value went down by 3 points and the WSJ article ended with THIS sobering total:

“The company posted a LOSS of $11.4 million in the most recent quarter, compared with a profit of $28.3 million a year earlier.”

Toy Companies—Media Companies—Will There Be a Difference in the Future?

Mattel’s not the only toy giant to see one of its oldest toy lines struggle to remain relevant and profitable in this modern age. Hasbro too, now considers its once industry-leading brand, 12″ GIjOEs, to be practically null and void. Without the “little Joes” (3.75″ sized), the world’s most famous toy brand would have vanished from stores by now.

But Hasbro has demonstrated amazing vision. Anticipating the evolving market realities and changing interests of children, they’ve diligently built-up their business from its basic toy origins into a full-blown media and entertainment powerhouse; producing blockbuster brand-offshoot motion pictures such as The Legos Movie, Transformers, etc., while simultaneously working alongside other film industry giants (see HERE) to coordinate massive merchandising efforts. Despite all the vitriol many fans continue to spew in its direction, Hasbro has clearly shown them (and Mattel) that there IS a future for toy production. And while that future may not include GIjOEs or Barbies, it will certainly include profits made from toy sales—LOTS of them.

Playing with toys in the near future may look something like this. With virtual reality, the need for (and use of) real objects that you actually touch and hold would be lost, but the interaction with similar “virtual” objects would remain the same. The question is…Would you WANT to play this way? (Photo: TIME)

Move Over Traditional Toys—Virtual Reality is Here NOW

On top of everything else we’ve discussed, we’d be remiss not to mention the impending arrival of virtual reality (VR) systems. Recent breakthroughs have solved the majority of nagging technological and biological hurdles (4K resolution refresh rates, dizziness, headaches, etc.), and promises of very near future “life-like” immersion will make playing with traditional toys seem as obsolete as newsprint is to the internet. The latest TIME magazine goes into this subject in great detail (see cover above) and VR’s impact on the future of entertainment and toys promises to be profound.

You think today’s video games are addictive? With the arrival of virtual reality systems, it’s hard to imagine a future wherein children would be satisfied playing with traditional, “imagination-dependent” toys. Question: Is a “virtual” GIjOE still a GIjOE? (Photo: YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images)

Bottom Line: We’ve discussed the topics of shifting consumer buying habits and evolving toy preferences many times over the years. The days of children playing with imagination-dependent toys may largely be behind us as a society; or at the very least, are becoming seriously endangered. The future of 12-inch Hasbro GIjOEs is already known. The future of Mattel’s 12-inch Barbies now falls into question. Fans have to wonder, what exactly will children of the future be playing with? And what effects will those toys (both traditional and virtual) have on their shrinking attention spans, imaginations and overall cognitive abilities? Will kids be jumping for joy like the dude in the TIME cover photo? Or will they be drooling over in a corner without an original thought inside their impressionable little heads? Let us know what YOU think. Please leave a comment today. Thanks!

For Don Levine, a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, former executive of Hasbro Toys, and co-creator of America’s iconic GIjOE action figure, that first phone call from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) must’ve struck him as quite extraordinary. After having spent over half a century of his life creating toys that entertained and inspired millions of children (and later too, adults), Levine must’ve been stunned when the voice on the other end of the line suddenly began asking for his help, not to inspire millions yet again—but to REPULSE them.

Indeed, in a surprising story published today by The Washington Post (TWP), it was revealed that Levine (now deceased) had worked secretly with the CIA to create a 12-inch, 1:6 scale action figure of Osama Bin Laden (OBL) for use in an oddly contrived propaganda scheme designed to discourage young children and their parents from idolizing and following the world’s most infamous terrorist leader. Prototypes of the unusual (and never-produced) action figure utilized a special “heat-dissolving” face paint that when handled, was easily peeled away, revealing what a CIA spokesman described as OBL’s “Demon Eyes.” TWP reporter, Adam Goldman, provides the following additional intel on this bizarre toy idea:

Adam Goldman, reporter for The Washington Post (Photo: Adam Goldman)

“Beginning in about 2005, the CIA began secretly developing a ­custom-made Osama bin Laden ­action figure, according to people familiar with the project. The face of the figure was painted with a heat-dissolving material, designed to peel off and reveal a red-faced bin Laden who looked like a demon, with piercing green eyes and black facial markings. The goal of the short-lived project was simple: spook children and their parents, causing them to turn away from the actual bin Laden.

The code-name for the bin Laden figures was “Devil Eyes,” and to create them, the CIA turned to one of the best minds in the toy business…Donald Levine, the former Hasbro executive who was instrumental in the creation of the wildly popular G.I. Joe toys that generated more than $5 billion in sales after hitting the shelves in 1964. The CIA’s interest in Levine was twofold: He had an eye for toys and a vast network of contacts in China, where the bin Laden action figures were ultimately manufactured. Levine had done business there for nearly 60 years and had the means to have the action figures discreetly developed and manufactured.“

These prototype headsculpts for the OBL figure are actually quite excellent. In them, GIjOE collectors will recognize the familiar style and expertise of an unknown Hasbro artist responsible for many of the company’s “Classic Collection” line of GIjOEs during the 1990s. (Photo: Adam Goldman)

Without handling this OBL prototype figure in person, it’s difficult to say exactly which 1:6 scale body type was used. But judging from its hands and familiar “arms akimbo” stance, it’s likely one of the large, “bendy” HOF muscle bodies from the 1990’s. (Photo: Adam Goldman)

“Levine died last month at age 86, after a lengthy battle with cancer. In response to questions about his work on the bin Laden toys, his family said in a statement:

‘Don Levine was a dedicated Patriot, and proud Korean War veteran. When called on, he was honored to assist our country.’

There’s a dispute over how many of the figurines, if any, were ultimately delivered. A person with direct knowledge of the project in China said hundreds of the toys — one of which was seen by The Washington Post — were made as part of a pre-production run and sent on a freighter to the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2006. The CIA, while not disputing that it had commissioned the bin Laden figures, said the project was discontinued shortly after the prototypes were developed.

‘To our knowledge, there were only three individual action figures ever created, and these were merely to show what a final product might look like,’ CIA spokesman Ryan Trapani said. ‘After being presented with these examples, the CIA declined to pursue this idea and did not produce or distribute any of these action figures. Furthermore, CIA has no knowledge of these action figures being produced or distributed by others.’

Regardless of how far the “Devil Eyes” project proceeded, it appears to have borne all the hallmarks of what are known in intelligence parlance as “influence operations.” As part of its covert action programs, the agency has for decades tried to win the hearts and minds of local populations or turn them against a particular ideology. Beginning around 2006, the CIA began developing an Osama bin Laden toy to counter his influence.”

Absolutely fascinating. Think of it, a major governmental “intelligence”agency considers using TOYS to counter the very real dangers of very real terrorists. What a bizarre/weird/wonderful(?) concept! Maybe someone working for the CIA had taken one too many missions to “Spy Island” as a kid? Curious about Levine’s involvement in Project “Devil Eyes,” Goldman’s article goes on to declare:

“Levine was initially asked to help with the toys for boys. ‘It appealed to [Levine] because it had nothing to do with actually hurting someone,’ said a person familiar with his decision to get involved. ‘It was the softer side of the CIA.’ CIA officials later approached Levine about the possibility of producing the bin Laden figures and having them sent to Pakistan or Afghanistan. Levine was initially ambivalent about the project but would later throw himself into the work, according to the people familiar with the project.

Levine developed prototypes before settling on a standard 12-inch figure with the facial features bin Laden. The head was superimposed on a figurine that was already in production in the Chinese city of Dongguan. A Chinese artist took publicly available photographs of bin Laden and created an image that was strikingly close in appearance to the al-Qaeda leader. The final prototype was dressed in traditional garb and packaged in a cheap box covered with plastic and presented to the CIA for approval. Levine was said to have been pleased with the final product Although the CIA said it decided not to move forward with the operation, at least one of the figures remains at the agency’s headquarters.”

Bottom Line: What an amazing “capper” (or caper) to Don Levine’s already storied and incredible life, legacy and career. But we still have some questions… Were only 3 actually made? Or was it 300? Were these face-peeling OBL’s ever shipped off to Pakistan and given out to confuse and “spook” Pakastani children as originally planned? If so, what were the results of the “mission?”

Regardless of the answers, it’s our considered opinion that if Levine’s OBLs had been sold in the U.S., they would have sold fairly well, if only because so many Americans would have loved to use its “devil-eyed” head for target practice—or as a pit bull’s chew toy! (Editor’s note: Our sincerest thanks to intrepid TWP reporter, Adam Goldman for his fine work in “peeling back the layers” of this intriguing (and repulsive) subject. Go, Joe! Go, ADAM!)

Customizer Wayne Faucher provided two possible answers to our “What-If” question with these outstanding custom Adventure Team figures. Would YOU have purchased this pair at retail if Hasbro had offered them? Abso-fricken YES. These guys are hardcore A-Teamers! (Photo: Wayne Faucher)

The Answer? It would’a been AWESOME!

Don’t turn your back on this Joe. Wayne’s use of Adventure Team colors are spot on. Check out this figure’s yellow backpack! (Photo: Wayne Faucher)

In the first of our new series of “What If” articles, we ask the intriguing question, “What if the Adventure Team had remained closer to GIjOE’s military roots?” Indeed! What if Hasbro, instead of promoting Joe in his second iteration as a “peaceful adventurer,” had chosen instead to develop his new adventuresome persona more militarily?

Looking back, fans will recall that rising anti-war sentiment in the 1960s-70s prompted Hasbro to refocus GIjOE marketing strategy into non-violent themes and adventures. But for the purposes of this article, we’re not interested in rehashing the past; we’d rather investigate the essence of this “What-If” scenario: an alternate military Adventure Team timeline.

Fortunately, readers of The Joe Report LOVE a good challenge, and renowned collector/customizer, Wayne Faucher (see previous profile HERE) clearly felt that this one was too fun to pass up. Although he had never customized a GIjOE before, Faucher put his extremely creative mind to work on the problem, and in no time, had kitbashed two exciting solutions. According to Wayne:

“First, I came up with the guy in yellow. I used yellow, black and red as my only rules and just had fun with it. I tried to incorporate as many vintage style pieces as I could while supplementing with more modern bits. The grease guns, .45’s, knuckle-knives and uniforms are all from the 40th Anniversary line. Both figures also sport standard shoulder holsters.”

“As things progressed, I wondered what the most ‘dangerous’ division of the Adventure Team might look like. You know, the AT guys you don’t want to mess with. Maybe they’re ‘Black Ops,’ or something even deeper than that. Not ‘bad guys,’ just A-Teamers the regular guys don’t talk much about.”

Faucher’s goldenrod-suited Joe is an absolute “badass.” Great choice to go with a vintage foreign headsculpt. And every other detail is PERFECT as well. Hello, Hasbro? (Photo: Wayne Faucher)

“If anyone’s interested in creating one of these goldenrod guys for themselves, here’s the ‘recipe’ for this dude: Starting at the top, that’s a vintage Action Man black beret I got for less than $5 off of Ebay. His glasses, boots and hands are from an old Dragon Thunderbird pilot. The figure itself is a Timeless Collection Australian Jungle Fighter redressed in a 40th goldenrod jumpsuit.

The knee and elbow pads were all found on ebay as well. The walkie-talkie is from a 21st Century Fireman and the backpack is from a 21st Century Brush Fireman. The web belt is the (mysteriously) black belt from the Timeless Green Beret set. All in all, a pretty simple bash and it doesn’t look half bad. Enjoy!” —Wayne

Bottom Line: As alternative AT timelines go, this one holds a lot of potential. Of course, Hasbro eventually returned Joe to his military roots in the 1980s with the introduction of the 3.75″ RAH figures. But imagine if Hasbro possessed just HALF the creative genius and imagination of a Wayne Faucher; imagine what COULD be done in the name of 12″ GIjOE. <sigh> Oh well, thanks again to Wayne for all of his input and submissions. You go, Wayne!